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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28189506">even the depths of the night cannot blind me when you guide me</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jedimorningstar/pseuds/jedimorningstar'>jedimorningstar</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, I’m sad so I wrote this, Spoilers, Touch-Starved, Unresolved Sexual Tension, din is an adorable idiot sometimes, din needs a hug, din takes his helmet off after having it on again, omera loves hugs, please let din go back to sorgan in season three</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:00:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,867</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28189506</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jedimorningstar/pseuds/jedimorningstar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The two stared at each other in silence.<br/>Din cleared his throat again.<br/>"Sorry for dropping in unannounced, I.." his voice died. Her eyes were wide and scanning him up and down.<br/>Then her face broke out in a wide, kind smile. That, at least, he remembered perfectly.<br/>"Please don't worry about that. You're always welcome here." Omera replied warmly as she set down the basket. She brushed herself off. "How are you?"<br/>Din swallowed a dry laugh. He was very, very bad.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV)/Din Djarin, Din Djarin &amp; Omera, Din Djarin/Omera, Omera &amp; Winta (Star Wars)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>136</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>even the depths of the night cannot blind me when you guide me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>so.. i love hurt/comfort, but i’m not super great at them. i’ll probably do an updated version of this at some point that’s much more painful, but for now enjoy :D</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>One of the upsides to having a friend who was a Marshal with the New Republic was that Din could get a new ship without much trouble. It wasn't expensive, or very attractive, but it got the job done. It was a small light freighter, with a hull that harboured a place to sleep, eat, and bathe. 

Din hung the small metal ball that Grogu had developed an obsession with from a wire in the cockpit, above the control panel. It didn't make him feel at peace, but at least it was in a place where he knew he wouldn't lose it.</p><p>With a sigh, he sat back.</p><p>Din felt.. empty.</p><p>He'd broken his creed, lost his child, and his home, all in the timespan of a standard week or so. He was exhausted, both physically and mentally, but he couldn't close his eyes. Whenever he did, all he saw were those peculiar large green ears, and gigantic black eyes staring up at him in love, with trust. All he could hear were those soft coos and whines the child had made in an effort to communicate with him. How strange, that Din seemed to be repeating every single one of their memories together over and over in his head, as if that would make him feel better. He'd put his helmet back on after the Jedi had come and taken Grogu, but he felt dirty wearing it now. People had already seen him. It was over. Maybe.. that was why Grogu had been taken from him.</p><p>Then all of a sudden, he couldn't get a breath in. His lungs constricted and tears sprung to his eyes.</p><p>A wave of panic and worry washed over him and Din couldn't <em>breathe</em>.</p><p>
  <em>Where is he?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>What is he doing?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Is he alright?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Is he alive?</em>
</p><p>Before he could even properly think about it, Din ripped his helmet off and he panted for air. He felt constricted, constricted in the armour that kept him safe and alive. He dropped his jet pack, his chestplate, knee and arm pieces to the ground and backed away from the pile. He still had on his undergarments, his pressurized black body suit that kept him warm, but he felt exposed. His gaze fell on the Mudhorn symbol on one of his discarded pauldrons.</p><p>"Why, why, <em>why</em> did I <em>do it?"</em> he hissed to himself, clutching his head. He began pacing back in forth, panic rising like a predator about to attack in his chest. He looked around wildly, trying to ground himself. He was in space- had been for a bit of time, and there was nothing outside beyond stars and a moon from a far off planet.</p><p>"I need to.." he muttered a half-formed thought. Din dropped back into the pilots seat and glanced at the pile of beskar on the ground. A twinge of guilt curled within him. He averted his eyes and began typing in coordination on the datapad. He didn't realize what he had punched in until the ship had jumped to lightspeed. His stomach began to settle. As stars streaked by him, Din slowly began reapplying his armour. When he went to put his mask back on, his eyes caught on the coordinates again.</p><p>Sorgan. He was going to Sorgan. Which meant..</p><p><em>Omera</em>.</p><p>Dins heart jumped in excitement involuntarily.</p><p><em>Omera</em>.</p><p>Her name brought him warmth. Din had never felt colder in his life, so he repeated her name over and over, relishing that jolt of happiness that came along with it. It fueled his heart and he smiled bitterly as his helmet clicked into its familiar place.</p><p>——</p><p>He landed the freighter a reasonable distance away from the village. He didn't want to scare any of them, especially the children. The raids had only been a few months ago, anyways.</p><p>Din hesitated on the ramp of the ship.</p><p>Should he even go? Would she even want to see him?</p><p>Deep down, he knew the answer to the second question. Omera had been so kind to him. To both of them. She had wanted him to stay.</p><p>Would Grogu still be with him if he had stayed?</p><p>He blinked and he heard the noise the little gremlin had made when Din had said his name for the first time. He saw the wonder on his tiny face.</p><p>No.. he knew why he was here.</p><p>His heart twinged. Mandalorians were supposed to be steadfast warriors, detached from their emotions.</p><p>But he wasn't even sure of that anymore. His views had changed, or were beginning to, at least, he realized.</p><p>Din swallowed hard and walked down, boots splashing in the mud, still not used to the lack of a child's weight in his arms.</p><p>——</p><p>The children of the village ran out to meet him as he arrived, all cheering with excited cries of his name.</p><p>"Mando! Mando, you came back!" yelled one.</p><p>"Your armour is sooo shiny!"</p><p>"Did you dent your helmet?"</p><p>"Ooh, why is there a Mudhorn on your shoulder?!"</p><p>"How long are you going to stay?!"</p><p>"Is your cape hot?"</p><p>"Where is he?"</p><p>Din glanced down at the little voice who had asked the last question. When she did, the others went quiet and started looking around, murmuring to each other when they noticed the silly green baby wasn't with Din.</p><p>"Where is he?" Winta repeated.</p><p>Din crouched down in front of her. She'd definitely matured since the last time he'd seen her. Her hair was now tucked beneath a cap, her cheeks were hollow, and she had grown taller, too. Her eyes were sharper and darker, and Din could tell she rarely missed any details. She was the spitting image of Omera, but with some unfamiliar features as well.</p><p>"I need to speak to your mother." Din said in a low voice. Winta's eyebrows furrowed. She nodded curtly with a stone expression, but her eyes gave away that she was worried, and that she understood in some way or another what had happened.</p><p>"Come on." she took his gloved hand and led him away from the gaggle of other children. She walked fast, threading through the small huts, quick enough that Din had to pick up the pace in order to keep up.</p><p>"She's there," the girl pointed to a lone slender figure picking out vegetables in the distance. If Din could rub his eyes, he would. The dreams of her were nothing compared to reality. He swallowed hard and tore his eyes away.</p><p>"Thanks, kid." he said to Winta. She smiled back at him solemnly. "I'll make sure no one else comes here."</p><p>He nodded and she slipped back into the village.</p><p>Din had to pause before going to Omera. What would he say? What was <em>there</em> to say?</p><p>Nevermind that. She was there, in his line of view, and she was real.</p><p>Din made his way down the dirt rows in between the small ponds where the farmers would gather their krill for the harvest. When he reached her, she was facing the opposite direction, crouched down and fishing out food. He cleared his throat quietly and she shot up like a blaster and turned around. Krill flew in every direction.</p><p>The two stared at each other in silence.</p><p>Din cleared his throat again.</p><p>"Sorry for dropping in unannounced, I.." his voice died. Her eyes were wide and scanning him up and down.</p><p>Then her face broke out in a wide, kind smile. That, at least, he remembered perfectly.</p><p>"Please don't worry about that. You're always welcome here." Omera replied warmly as she set down the basket. She brushed herself off. "How are you?"</p><p>Din swallowed a dry laugh. He was very, very bad.</p><p>He noticed some farmers in the distance looking at him, each other, and whispering.</p><p>"Can we go somewhere more private?" he asked instead of answering her own question. Omera tossed a glance over her shoulder and glared at her tribemates before turning back and nodding.</p><p>"Winta is probably at home, so we can go to the barn." she said. She held out a hand and slowly, he took it.</p><p>They walked together down the pathway between the ponds and through the village.</p><p>"Where is he?" Omera asked quietly, echoing her daughters earlier question. Din clutched her palm tighter.</p><p>"Gone." he replied simply.</p><p>They made it to the barn and Omera allowed him to walk through the curtains first. He exhaled shakily when she focused on him again. She placed a hand over his heart and underneath his helmet, Din closed his eyes for a second.</p><p>"What happened?"</p><p>"He's gone." he managed to repeat around a growing lump in his throat.</p><p>"Gone how?" Din could tell she was fighting to stay calm as well. "Is he-"</p><p>"He's alive. He's just.." Din took a deep breath, steadying himself. "I couldn't- I don't think I'm ever going to see him again."</p><p>Omera's gaze flitted all over him. She looked concerned, and confused. She put her hands on either side of his neck and pulled his forehead towards her own, touching them together as a gesture of comfort. Din tried to stay as still as possible so she wouldn't pull away. He saw her eyelids droop a little.</p><p>She probably didn't know what this meant to his people. But he wrapped his arms around her anyways and took a few deep breaths.</p><p>"Will you take it off?"</p><p>He stiffened. He didn't know how to answer. Omera's eyes shot open and she cursed as if she'd just realized what she had asked.</p><p>"Oh, no, I'm so sorry, it's-"</p><p>He caught her wrists before she panicked more. "It's okay! It's okay. I.. don't deserve to be wearing this armour anymore, anyways."</p><p>She stilled and exhaled with a frown. "Don't say that, Mando."</p><p>He paused.</p><p>"Din."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"My name." he swallowed again.</p><p>Should I even be telling her this?</p><p>Her eyes crinkled when she gave him a small smile. "Din." She sighed. "I know it's a part of your religion not to take it off. I'm sorry."</p><p>"No! I mean- don't apologize. I.. I broke my creed a few days ago."</p><p>Her eyes fell and Din could tell she was trying not to say sorry again. Neither spoke for a long moment.</p><p>"Who took him?" Omera rubbed small circles in the space between his pauldron and vambrace. Din leaned into her softness.</p><p>"His.. people. The Jedi."</p><p>A small amount of surprise revealed itself in her features but she said nothing. Her gaze was downcast. Din really didn't like seeing her like that. He wanted her to smile at him again. But maybe smiles couldn’t be reached right now.</p><p>"He wanted my permission to go."</p><p>Din partially realized that it wasn't just his voice that was shaking. No.. his entire body was, and violently.</p><p>"He wanted my permission." he repeated. He was doing that a lot today. His visor was starting to cloud up and he knew he was crying.</p><p>"Take it off, Din." Omera said in a small voice, but one that didn't advise argument. Din hesitated.</p><p>Hands still trembling, he finally reached up. He'd already broken his creed. There wasn't much left in his belief for the way he was raised, anyway.</p><p>Omera squeezed her eyes shut again when he lifted the mask off and she held out her hands for it. Din gave it to her and she set it aside.</p><p>"You don't need to close your eyes." he murmured.</p><p>"I know. But maybe it will help you feel less guilty."</p><p>One of Omera's hands extended and she feels her way up his neck, light and soft. She traced the outline of his jaw, his ears, brushed over the outline of his stubble and moustache, his hooked nose. She ran her fingers across his lips and he watched her progress in wonder. Her other hand came up and wiped away the tears from under his eyes and his cheeks. Din struggled to stay upright. He felt as though he could melt into her body and stay there forever if he let go.</p><p>Omera's hands fastened around the back of his neck and she leaned in, catching Din off-guard. But this must've been what he was longing for all along because he immediately followed her lead, pulling her closer and pressing his hands into the small of her back.</p><p>When was the last time he'd been touched like this? He couldn't even remember the ghost of someone giving him this level and sort of affection, of comfort. The sides of their faces pressed together and he felt it when his stubble scratched her cheek. He buried his face in her neck. Then he pulled away, still holding her but not as closely.</p><p>"Did I do something?" Omera asked instantly. Din shook his head, then remembered she couldn’t see him. Somehow, it felt like she still did.</p><p>"Open your eyes." he requested softly. She began to protest but he shushed her. "Please."</p><p>She nodded and did what he asked. Her eyelids fluttered upwards and they locked eyes for the very first time. Neither could tell, but both of their heartbeats were racing in their chests.</p><p>Her first impression was that he looked.. kind. She had pictured a rough warrior with sharp edges and aggressive features, but that wasn't what he was. She smiled.</p><p>"You're.."</p><p>"Not what you pictured?" Din joked weakly. Omera shook her head in wonder as she examined him. Her fingers came up again to cup his cheek. He tensed as he remembered Grogu doing the same thing before they'd said goodbye. She noticed and began to drop her limb, but Din caught it.</p><p>"It's okay." he told her. His dark eyes found her own and she vaguely registered her heart expanding in her chest, speeding up her pulse even more. She tried again and this time he allowed himself to melt into her touch. A strangled mix of a sigh and a sob escaped Dins throat when she pressed her hand more firmly against him. He closed his eyes. He knew that if she asked him to do anything in that moment, he wouldn't refuse. She wrapped him against her smaller body again and moved to cup the back of his head instead. Din dropped his head into the crook of her neck without hesitation. She smelled like home.</p><p>A period of time that neither bothered to count passed before either of them stirred again.</p><p>Omera almost kissed him when he finally moved away, but she figured that that would be too much right now. She did point to the rest of his armour, which was uncomfortable against her skin and would probably enable her to get closer to him without it. He got what she meant without her needing to say anything and stripped the rest of the beskar away. He'd cried more than once at that point. The tear tracks reflected off of the sun setting outside the farm window but Din couldn't bring himself to be embarrassed.</p><p>"Omera." he said. She tried to ignore how her heart jumped hopefully when he said her name. She led him to the cot where he had slept during his brief stay and sat down next to him. He paused when their legs tangled together as Omera moved closer to him. She pulled his head back towards her own and he embraced her again. It seemed almost natural at this point. </p><p>“Would it be okay if I.. didn’t leave here for a few days?” Din murmured into the nape of her neck. It wasn’t as if he had nowhere else to go- as a matter of fact, he’d more or less joined Bo-Katans mission to retake Mandalore. But a few days.. a few days couldn’t hurt.</p><p>Omera laughed softly against his ear, making gooseflesh erupt there.</p><p>“Din, you can stay as long as you’d like.”</p><p>He already felt better, even if it was only a tiny bit. The wound of leaving Grogu was still fresh and painful, but maybe.. maybe it wouldn’t last forever.</p><p>He cupped Omera’s face with a hand and held her with the other. She returned the gesture with the opposite hand. Her eyes bore into his own and he wouldn’t be surprised if she told him then and there that she knew what he was thinking of doing. Or maybe it was just showing on his face. He wasn’t used to that yet.</p><p>“Din-“</p><p>He leaned forwards and caught her lips in his own, stifling the rest of her sentence. She mumbled something incoherent and deepened the embrace, brushing curls away from his sweaty forehead.</p><p>He’d never kissed anyone before, besides a boy who he’d had a childish crush on a few months before he was taken in by the Watch. He didn’t remember the boys name or what defining features he had possessed, but he did remember the very real emotion he held for him. Din had worried about him for almost two years before discovering where he’d been buried, killed with all the rest.</p><p>He had to remind himself quietly that he was safe when Omera reached for him again, this time for his clothing, hands still gentle and kind, exactly like her.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this is supposed to be a oneshot but i could write more if asked? anyways thank you sm for reading, have a wonderful day/night/whatever time it is for you :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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